Creating a Solar Analysis Project
A SolarScope project is the core unit of solar analysis. Each project represents a specific site with defined system parameters, and stores all historical analysis data, AI conversations, and exported reports in one place.
Creating a well-configured project is the foundation of accurate solar energy analysis. This guide explains every project setting in detail so you can get the most accurate results for your site.
Project Name and Description
Choose a descriptive project name that includes the location and system type. Good examples:
- "123 Main St - 10kW Residential"
- "Industrial Park Warehouse - 250kW Commercial"
- "Desert Valley Ranch - 5MW Utility"
The description field is optional but useful for notes about site conditions, shading obstacles, or client requirements. Descriptions are included in PDF reports.
Location Entry
SolarScope geocodes addresses automatically using ArcGIS geocoding services. Enter the full street address including city, state, and ZIP for best results. For international locations, include the country name.
Coordinate entry: If you have GPS coordinates (from a site visit or survey), toggle to coordinate mode and enter latitude and longitude directly. This is more precise than address geocoding for rural properties.
Coverage: NASA POWER provides data at 0.5° × 0.5° grid resolution globally. This means the irradiance data represents approximately a 55 km × 55 km area around your entered location — ideal for regional planning but not for micro-siting decisions.
System Parameters
System Size
Enter the total DC system capacity in kilowatts (kW). For reference:
- Typical US residential: 6–12 kW
- Small commercial: 25–100 kW
- Large commercial/industrial: 100–1,000 kW
- Utility-scale: 1,000+ kW (enter as MW converted to kW)
Tilt Angle
The tilt angle is the angle of your solar panels from horizontal (0°). Key guidelines:
- For fixed-tilt systems, optimal tilt ≈ latitude of the site
- In the US Southwest (latitude 32–35°), optimal tilt is typically 30–33°
- Flat roofs often use 5–10° tilt for water runoff while minimizing wind loading
- Steeper tilts (40–45°) can improve winter production in northern climates
Azimuth
Azimuth is the compass direction your panels face, measured in degrees clockwise from north:
- 0° = North (avoid for northern hemisphere fixed-tilt)
- 90° = East
- 180° = South (optimal for US locations)
- 270° = West
For dual-pitch roofs or east-west arrays, create separate projects for each orientation and sum the results.
Panel Efficiency
Standard monocrystalline panels operate at 19–22% efficiency. Polycrystalline panels are typically 16–18%. Premium high-efficiency panels (SunPower, LONGi Hi-MO) reach 22–24%.
Reviewing and Saving
Review your inputs before running analysis. Click Save & Analyze to store the project and immediately run the solar analysis. You can re-run analysis at any time from the project settings tab.
Saved projects appear on your Dashboard and can be sorted by date, location, or project name. Pro and Premium users can create unlimited projects.